17 April 2019 - Prime Minister Duško Marković met with the ambassadors of the EU member states in Brussels, within the continuation of the dialogue on the process of Montenegro's accession to the European Union, its results and challenges as well as European perspective.
The Prime Minister informed the ambassadors about political and economic developments in Montenegro, pointing out that Montenegro sees no alternative to its future in the Euro-Atlantic and European space.
"As a country in transition, we are aware of our weaknesses, challenges, but we do not hide them, we do not yield to them and we strongly use the experience, support and consultations of our partners. We are a candidate country that does not want membership in the EU until we are fully prepared for it. We do not want to be a new problem in the EU, but a quality, we do not want to jeopardize the value of the EU, but to contribute to it," Prime Minister Duško Marković said at the meeting.
Informing the ambassadors about the Government's successful economic policy, the Prime Minister said that the deficit has been halved and that there is no fear for the sustainability Montenegrin public finances, noting that Montenegro recorded very high economic growth rates - 4.7% in 2017 and 4.9% in 2018. In this regard, the Prime Minister said, growth was recorded in all sectors - tourism, energy, agriculture, industry, trade.
PM Marković pointed out that Montenegro is successfully fighting organized crime, stressing that in the past year the State carried out decisive actions to break up the strongest criminal organizations.
"It is evident that organized crime loses the battle with the State. Institutions are getting stronger and more efficient. This fight in the country we are building cannot and will not be equal," the Prime Minister told the highest diplomatic representatives of the EU member states in Brussels.
Prime Minister Marković highlighted the EU's investment in the region of the Western Balkans, which in the past ten years amounted to more than EUR eight billion, and the trade in the recent years amounted almost EUR 50 billion, with a growing trend in favour of the region. "The citizens of the region should know and be aware of the EU's direct participation in the development of our region," Prime Minister Duško Marković said.
The ambassadors emphasised that the region of the Western Balkans has a European perspective and emphasised the fact that Montenegro is undoubtedly the leader of the integration process. In terms of European integration of Montenegro, they praised the fact that Montenegro has fully harmonized its foreign and security policy with the common European Union policy.
Montenegro's attitude towards other countries in the region and country's policy of good neighbourly relations and dialogue are highlighted as a positive example, with the assessment that Montenegro represents a stabilising factor in the Western Balkans.
Furthermore, the meeting discussed the political situation in our region. PM Marković took the opportunity to reiterate Montenegro's full support to the historic agreement of North Macedonia and Greece.
Chief Negotiator with the European Union Aleksandar Drljević also attended the meeting, organised by Romania which is currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
